Advanced composites are high strength high modulus materials which are finding increasing use as structural components in aircraft, automotive, and sporting goods applications. Typically, they comprise structural fibers such as carbon fibers in the form of woven cloth or continuous filaments embedded in a thermosetting resin matrix.
In many advanced composites, the matrix contains an epoxide resin and an aromatic amine hardener. Such composites have high compressive strengths, good fatigue characteristics, and low shrinkage during cure. However, since the matrix resins are brittle, the composites have poor impact resistance and tensile properties which do not fully translate the properties of the reinforcing fiber. Thus, there is a need for matrix resins which afford composites with improved impact resistance and tensile properties in combination with the high compressive strengths typical of this class of materials.